Pops
by FaithinBones
Summary: This is a Bonesology A Day in the Life FanFic Challenge. A day in the life of Hank Booth.
1. Chapter 1

JAG'ed Bones in the Caskett came up with this story idea. Thanks.

A Day in the Life FanFic Challenge: This is a Bonesology fanfic challenge story. It centers on a minor character and portrays a day in their life that shows us a behind the scenes day at the Lab, the FBI . . . anywhere our heroes will be.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

He was having a rather bad day. He was feeling tired and lethargic. He wasn't sure why except maybe the fact that he was 87 damn years old and didn't he have a right to feel poorly once in a while without everyone acting like he was dying for God's sake? His hand over his heart, he knew he was working himself up and it wasn't good for the old ticker. _Damn it._

Frustrated with the nurse who'd insisted that he stay in his room and rest, Hank decided that he was bored and he wasn't going to stay in his room one more minute. After he folded the afghan neatly, he made sure it was placed on the end of the bed where it belonged. His late wife had made that for him six months before she had died and it was his most valuable treasure besides his wedding ring and the St. Christopher medal his father had given him which he always wore around his neck.

After he pulled his loafers on, he checked his hair in the bathroom mirror to make sure he didn't have a case of bedhead. The Booth men were proud of their hair and why not? It was pretty cool to have a full head of hair in your eighties. Good Booth hair. _Yeah._

As he left his room, he glanced back and saw the envelope on the couch. Reminded that he hadn't shown the pictures to anyone yet, he walked back into the room and snatched them from the couch. That accomplished he left his room and walked down the hallway to the games room.

Entering the room, he spied his friends, Agnes and Bill. "Hey there you are. You want to see my pictures of my family. Seeley dropped them by yesterday when he came to visit."

To make room on the couch, Agnes stood up and sat closer to the end of the couch. "We sure would. Sit between us so we can both see them."

Hank could always count on his friends to want to share his pictures. Settled on the couch, Hank opened the envelope and pulled out the pictures. "Seeley and Temperance took Christine to a kid's party last weekend. That party must have been a hoot. Wait until you see the pictures." Proudly, Hank placed the first picture on his lap. "See this is Christine and I guess it was a theme party. She'd dressed as a princess . . . notice the tiara . . . Seeley said Temperance made the costume . . . she doesn't like the cheap flammable materials they use in costumes that you buy in the store."

"Ooh, such a lovely child." Agnes adored Christine. Her own granddaughter rarely came to see her and her daughter tried to make excuses, but . . . _well never mind._ "She just gets prettier by the day."

Proudly Hank nodded his head. "Good Booth genes." Flipping over the next picture, they saw Christine standing between Seeley's knees and laughing at something she was seeing. "Seeley said that there was a magician at the party and Christine loved him."

Bill tapped the picture. "It wasn't one of them clown magicians was it. I know Seeley don't like clowns." Bill remembered the last time they had a clown to entertain the folks at the home and Seeley Booth had happened to be there. He'd felt sorry for the boy.

Gratified that his friend cared enough to ask, Hank shook his head. "Nah . . . Seeley said the guy wore a tuxedo . . . He said he was pretty good too."

"That's good." Bill liked Seeley. The boy came with his family every other week to see his grandfather. He liked that, plus the boxes of homemade cookies that Temperance made for everyone. _They're just the best couple of kids._

The next picture showed Brennan and Booth holding Christine's hand and singing. "They sang Happy Birthday to the little boy . . . I can't remember his name . . . They had a photographer there to take pictures and the parents could buy pictures if they wanted them. Temperance bought a set for her and Seeley and one set for me."

Agnes patted Hank's knee. "What a thoughtful child. You'd never know she was a famous author. She's just the sweetest thing."

In full agreement, Hank nodded his head. "I knew she was right for my boy the minute I met her. She's a real keeper."

Bill loved Brennan. "She sure is. She's a real sweetheart. Remember when she gave us all copies of her latest book. I mean hardback copies too and she signed them. Not many famous people act like real human beings, but she's a real gem."

Hank glowed in the love his friends felt for his family. "Yeah, my boy and his wife and their little girl and Parker . . . we can't forget Parker and now . . . and now my Temperance is going to give me another great-grandchild. Three little Booth monkeys to carry on the Booth name. I'm just so proud of them both . . . I just . . ." Hank stopped and cleared his throat. "I hit the jackpot when God gave me Seeley for a grandson. His brother Jared tries to do his best . . . well, maybe someday he'll get his act together. It's not too late for him." _I hope._ He flipped the last picture over and they saw Christine in her princess costume and tiara handing a present over to her little friend.

"That tiara is just so cute." Agnes loved the way it sparkled. "It really looks so pretty."

Bill nodded his head. "Yeah . . . it does. A real little princess. I bet the next great-grandbaby will be a real beauty like this one . . . do we know if it's a girl yet or is it a boy?"

Proudly, Hank rubbed his thumb along the edge of the photo. "It's a boy. The kid finally cooperated the last time they took a sonogram."

Excited, Agnes placed her arm around Hanks shoulders. "That's wonderful. Three great-grandchildren. That's so wonderful."

Amused, Hank smiled. "Yeah wonderful." Carefully, he placed the pictures back in the envelope. "I just hope I get to see him."

"What a thing to say." Bill didn't like that kind of talk. "You're in good health . . . of course you'll get to see him, you lucky dog."

Not so sure about the health part, Hank agreed he was lucky to have such a family. "Yeah . . . I wasn't sure Seeley was ever going to get married. I worried about that. That boy has been through so much and . . . well, I almost lost him with that brain tumor and when he was kidnapped . . . I'm so happy he made it through. I love him so much and . . . well, he makes my life worth living . . . and Temperance, what a jewel she is. Tough as nails, but underneath such a sweet woman . . . she loves her family and I just love her to pieces . . . I'm so damn lucky . . . Oh hey, they're coming this weekend and they're bringing a cake to celebrate their anniversary. They want us to be part of their celebration."

Impressed, Bill shook his head. "No kidding? Wow . . . those wedding pictures you showed us were so nice . . . and well . . . cake huh . . . I love cake."

Amused, Hank laughed. "Yeah I know. Just make sure you wait until they cut it and not sneak a piece like you did when Helen had her birthday cake last month."

Outraged, Bill shook his head. "I didn't do that . . . how'd you know I did that?"

Hank pointed at the camera in the corner of the room near the ceiling. "How do you think you big dummy?"

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

A Day in the Life FanFic Challenge: This is a Bonesology fanfic challenge story. It centers on a minor character and portrays a day in their life that shows us a behind the scenes day at the Lab, the FBI . . . anywhere our heroes will be.

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

He'd had a rough week and he couldn't seem to shake the tiredness he constantly felt. His enthusiasm for food and company seemed to be a bit poor too. His grandson and his little family had visited with him an entire weekend and that seemed to give him reasons to get up in the morning, but still when your clock is winding down then the inevitable seems to be just around the corner.

Reading a newspaper in bed, his door suddenly opened and Bill leaned through the doorway. "There you are . . . what the hell are you doing in here? You're supposed to at the dominoes tournament beating the shit out of Clyde Barrows."

Hank pulled his glasses down on his nose and looked at his friend over the tops. "I'm not playing. I got nothing to prove."

Quickly entering the room, Bill closed the door behind him, strode across the room and stopped beside the bed. Glaring down at his friend, Bill jammed his hands on his hips. "Get your fat ass out of this bed right now . . . I have money riding on that tournament you hear me? You promised me that you'd play in the tournament and wipe Clyde's nose in the dirt and I'm holding you to it." Bill was worried about his friend. Hank had been feeling down for a couple of weeks and Bill was worried that Hank was slowly moving towards Death's waiting arms. He'd seen it before and he wasn't ready for Hank to shuffle off this mortal coil just yet. "Come on."

"You know I'm not so tired I can't still pop you one." Hank took his glass off and placed them and his newspaper down on the bed and moved towards the edge of the mattress. "You should respect your elders better than that."

With a snort, Bill stepped over to the door and grinned. "Elder my ass . . . you're eight years older than me. Big deal. Besides, I was Marine and no fucking Army ground pounder is going to pop me one and get away with it."

Irritated, Hank stood up and looked for his shoes. "I was military police you idiot and do you actually eat with that mouth?" His shoes where he'd left them, he slipped the loafers on his feet.

"I only talk like that around you because those are the only words you seem to pay attention to and I wouldn't be bragging about being a military policeman if I was you. " Bill was pleased to see that Hank was moving around. He had been worried that Hank was going to make him leave. "You were still Army and I'm sure your mother was embarrassed for you."

Hank knew that his friend Bill was winding up to make him move and he was actually grateful to him for it. Sometimes he needed a push to get his day moving and Bill knew all the right buttons to push. "Okay Gunny, you leave my mother out of it . . . if she'd heard the way you talk sometimes, she'd have forced you to eat a cake of soap, hell maybe a case of soap. No one cursed around my mother and got away with it."

Amused, Bill laughed. "You're probably right if she was anything like my mother . . . man one time she heard me cuss out my brother for being the dope he was and she slapped the shit out of me. She told me that no educated man talks like that and she didn't raise an ignorant child. She was a real stickler when it came to English and she absolutely hated slang. Don't even get her started by calling something lousy." Bill chuckled. "Her favorite way to punish me and my brother was to force us to learn new words in the dictionary."

Hank chuckled and nodded his head. "I still miss my mother . . . she was such a wonderful person and smart as a whip. She was smarter than my Dad. She actually went to college which is something my father didn't do . . . if she'd been born later, she probably would have been a CEO of a major corporation. She handled the bookkeeping for my Dad's store . . . yeah, smart as could be and my Dad and I were so proud of her."

Bill opened the door and leaned out to check the hallway. "Hey come one. Clyde's ass still needs wiped, the bastard . . . you do know that he's trying to get Agnes to go to the movies with him tonight?"

"What?" Hank grabbed his cane and moved slowly towards the door. "That bastard . . . he knows that Agnes is my girlfriend . . . I'm going to fix his God damn wagon you wait and see." Out in the hallway, he closed the door firmly behind him. "I really hate that guy. Just because he looks like Clark Gable he thinks he's hot shit . . . "

"Clark Gable my ass." Bill followed Hank down the hallway to make sure the older man didn't have any trouble. "He looks more like Moe Howard to me."

Hank laughed and shook his head. "You're something else, Bill. I'm not sure what, but definitely something else."

Ooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thanks.

A/N: shuffle off this mortal coil – to die (From Hamlet – William Shakespeare)

Clark Gable – famous actor

Moe Howard – from 'The Three Stooges' fame


	3. Chapter 3

A Day in the Life FanFic Challenge: This is a Bonesology fanfic challenge story. It centers on a minor character and portrays a day in their life that shows us a behind the scenes day at the Lab, the FBI . . . anywhere our heroes will be.

Thank you for reviewing my story. I really appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Booth found his grandfather in his room resting. "Hey Pops . . . I came as soon as I could. Peggy says you aren't feeling well."

Furious that Peggy had called his grandson, Hank let his temper flare at Booth. "I told her not to call you . . . I was just dizzy that's all. She's not supposed to call you for crap like that."

Cautiously, Booth closed the door behind him and moved across the room. Once he was close enough, Booth took in the paleness of his grandfather's skin, the dark smudges under his eyes, his wheezy breathing and he felt a cold stab of fear hit him. "No Pops . . . she called me because your blood pressure seems kind of low and you're . . . um . . . not feeling well . . . she was just doing her job."

As far as Hank was concerned, the nurses at the home were a bunch of busy bodies. "Humph . . . I have another word for it . . . well, don't just stand there looking like someone kicked your dog, give me a hug and sit down."

Booth leaned over, carefully hugged his grandfather and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm actually glad she called. I didn't really have anything to do today anyway. I'm between cases and for some reason and I've caught up on all of my paper work . . . I decided to come and stay the day with you."

Not sure he believed his grandson, Hank nodded his head anyway. "Well, as long as you're not busy . . . work comes first though."

"Work doesn't come first, Pops." Booth's anxiety grew as he heard the wheezy breathing continuing. "Family comes first . . . always has."

Slowly nodding his head, Hank decided to just let it go. "Yeah . . . yeah, I guess it does . . . so tell me about my granddaughter. Is she still having morning sickness?"

"Nah, she just had morning sickness for a few weeks." Booth moved the chair closer and placed his hand over his grandfather's hand. "She's working and doing the things she loves . . . of course you know Bones. She's going to do what she wants to do no matter what me or her doctors say. At least she rests when she needs it and she lets me help out more than she did the first time she was pregnant . . . Christine can be a handful. You know how five year olds are, so I can at least take up some of the slack and help Bones with our daughter."

Proud of Brennan's independence, Hank chuckled. "She's a pip, I got to say." The old man placed his hand over his chest and coughed. Once he felt his throat cleared, Hank turned his head to stare at his grandson. "She's the best thing that ever happened to you, Son . . . she and you were made for each other. I knew it the first time I met her. She was just what you needed. Someone that could handle you when you needed it."

Booth agreed. "Yeah, she's made me a better man that's for sure . . . I'd be dead if it wasn't for her . . . more than once too . . . she saved my life when the Gravedigger kidnapped me and when I had my brain tumor . . . she says it wasn't malignant, but still if she hadn't figured out what was going on it would have eventually killed me . . . and she got me out of prison . . . her and the squints they . . . they saved me . . . She's just . . . I love her so much."

Hank knew that Booth was right and the old man loved Temperance for saving his boy. "Yeah . . . we owe her a lot I guess. I say a prayer for her every night. I know she doesn't believe in God, but I do and well, just in case I'm right and she's wrong I want to help try to get her into heaven . . . well, she'll get there on her own I imagine. She's good and God knows that. Wait until I get up there. I'm going to talk Marie's ear off about you and Temperance and Parker and Christine. I have so much to talk to her about."

Uncomfortable with his grandfather's turn in the conversation, Booth gripped Hank's hand. "Hey, that's not going to happen for a long time, Pops. You have to stick around and see the new baby after he's born. After that I'm counting on you being at the Christening. You missed Christine's and I'm really sorry that happened but . . . anyway you have to come to the next one."

Certain that his life was winding down, Hank wasn't sure he had enough time to do what his grandson wanted him to do. "Yeah . . . yeah, you're right. I want to see that little boy. I bet he looks just like you . . . just like you . . . you know you look more like your grandmother's side of the family . . . you remind me of my father-in-law. He was great . . . great . . . he loved his family so much and . . ."

The old man seemed to lose himself in some memories and Booth didn't want to interrupt his train of thought. While his grandfather stared at the window, Booth kept his hand on his grandfather's hand. The old man's hand was so thin and had a slight tremble to it. His skin seemed to be cool to the touch and that was one more thing that worried Booth.

"Hey, Shrimp did I ever tell you about Marie's and my first date?" Hank was certain he had told his grandson, but he wasn't totally sure. "She was so beautiful and me . . . I was afraid to ask her out. I figured she had a lot of boyfriends, but I got the guts to ask her and she said yes. I got to tell you I was so surprised . . . her a looker and so nice and all . . ."

Booth waited for his grandfather to continue and when he didn't he prodded him. "I've seen some pictures of Nana when she was young and she was real beautiful."

"Yeah . . ." Hank smiled. "Anyway, I took her to a chicken and waffle dinner at the church . . . oh yeah . . . I forgot to say that's where I met her . . . anyway we went to the dinner and I was so proud she was with me. We had a nice time and it got even better when Garry Owens tried to cut in on my date and Marie told him to go away and not to bother her." Hank laughed. "Just go away . . . she could be blunt Marie could, but really I thought it was great. She didn't take crap from anyone . . . yeah, Temperance reminds me of her . . . I'll let you in on a little secret, Shrimp."

Booth leaned forward and nodded his head. "Bones and Nana are a little alike."

The old man nodded his head. "Yeah . . . anyway . . . Booth men need strong women in their lives. For some reason we don't do well on our own. We're weak and we get into trouble. I was a gambler until I met your Nana and she set me straight . . . that was the biggest problem your father had. He didn't have a strong woman in his life . . . nothing against your mother, but she didn't have it in her to stand up to Edwin. He abused her and . . . if I had known he was like that I would have stopped it . . . she ran away and I didn't know why. Your father told me . . . well never mind. Edwin was a liar and . . . Seeley I'm so sorry, I didn't know he was hurting you and Jared." Tears started to fall down his cheeks and with it his breathing started to worsen.

Alarmed, Booth stood up and placed his free hand on his grandfather's face. "Pops stop it . . . you saved me and Jared . . . you hear me, you saved my life. I wouldn't be alive today if it hadn't been for you . . . you're my hero Pops. You hear me. You're the greatest man I've ever known."

His breathing easier, Hank smiled at his grandson. "You really think I'm a hero?"

"Of course I do, Pops. You kidding me?" Booth was relieved that his grandfather was calming down. "Why do you think I went into the Army and not the Air Force? I wanted to be like you. You were my father, Pops. You raised me and when it was time to get out of the Army, I became an FBI Agent . . . because of you. You'd been a cop for so long and I know you love the law and I wanted to be just like you because I learned to love the law too . . . You're the best, Pops."

Filled with pride, Hank stared at his grandson. "Thank you, Boy . . . a hero . . . really?"

"Really Pops." Booth felt a tear slide down his face and he ignored it. "A real hero, Pops . . . I've always tried to be just like you."

His throat tight with emotion, Hank reached out and patted his grandson's face. "I think that's the best thing anyone has ever said to me . . . thank you."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

A/N: we really don't know when Pops died since it was never mentioned on the show. I decided to move it to season 10.


End file.
